This invention is in the field of article carriers and supports, more specifically in the field of carriers and supports for compressed gas bottles, and more specifically still in the field of hand carriers for scuba tanks. The invention also pertains to the secure transport of compressed gas bottles in vehicles, and more specifically to the transport of scuba tanks to and from dive sites by vehicle and by hand. Although this invention can be used on a variety of cylinders, for simplicity the terms “scuba tank” or “tank” will generally be used herein to represent the item being carried by the invention.
Because they are generally comprised of thick-walled metal, compressed gas bottles are relatively heavy objects to carry by hand. Only small ones such as scuba tanks can be carried by hand at all without some kind of aid to hand carriage, and even then not comfortably and not for long distances. Their shape, generally cylindrical, flat or dished at one end and rounded with an axially-installed valve at the other, makes them ungainly; many users handle them by the valve or regulator. This is not recommended, because these parts are not shaped for secure grasp and allow some chance for dropping the bottle. If the bottle is dropped, personal injury or damage to the bottle can occur; in the worst case, catastrophic failure of the valve stem could occur with explosive release of the compressed gas. It is also possible to open the valve slightly while handling a gas bottle by its valve or regulator.
These contingencies have led to the creation of a number of carrying devices for gas bottles. Two examples: U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,846 to Fuller teaches a pouch with two handles; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,218 to Hilliard teaches circumferential straps with flexible handles. The drawback to these devices is that the handles are not adjustable and they do not prevent the bottle from rolling around in a vehicle.
Anti-roll features are taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,996 to Tecca, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,339 to Frean, which describe flat bases affixed to a gas bottle along with straps. These devices have more parts and structure than the present invention.
An invention bearing some similarities in appearance to the present invention is described in Australian patent no. 81462/91 to Russell. It discloses parallel rigid tubes affixed to a rope, but the tubes serve as a support for a scuba tank and not as handles.